US ALLOCATES $3.5 MILLION TO TRACK RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
Read Time:2 Minute, 54 Second
By: Muftau Fatimo
The United States Department of State has announced a $3.5 million funding programme, estimated at about N5 billion, to enhance the monitoring, documentation and reporting of religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The initiative, introduced through the Office of International Religious Freedom under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, invites applications from organisations with the capacity to strengthen reporting mechanisms on religion- and belief-related attacks across the country.
According to the notice of funding opportunity released on May 22, 2026, the programme will run for between 24 and 48 months, with one award anticipated under either a grant or cooperative agreement.
The State Department stated that the project aimed to enhance efforts to monitor and document abuses committed by both state and non-state actors in Nigeria.
The Office of International Religious Freedom announces an open competition for organisations interested in submitting applications for projects that improve documentation and reporting efforts on religious freedom abuses in Nigeria, for accountability, advocacy, and memorialisation,” the notice stated.
The document referenced violence linked to Boko Haram, Fulani ethnic militias and other armed groups, saying attacks have affected both Christians and Muslims.
“Documenters, human rights and religious freedom advocates, religious leaders and community members, academics, journalists, and survivors have contributed to an evidence base that illustrates the extreme levels of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors against Christians and Muslims,” the notice said.
The US government also criticised what it described as inadequate responses by Nigerian authorities to attacks on faith communities.
“Civil society reports indicate that authorities regularly fail to respond in a timely or effective manner to violent attacks against civilians and faith communities, and particularly attacks against Christians,” the document stated.
It added, “This leads to widespread impunity for violence which encourages more violence, leading to further abuses and displacements.
The notice further alleged that some security personnel had raided places of worship while searching for suspected criminals.
“There are also credible reports of Nigerian security personnel raiding places of worship and injuring clergy and congregants in search of alleged criminals,” it said.
The State Department said the funding initiative followed President Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom issues.
“President Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern placed a spotlight on the severity of these longstanding and worsening problems,” the document stated.
The IRF said proposals submitted under the programme should aim to improve accountability for violations through “monitoring, documenting, and reporting of such abuses committed by either state or non-state actors in Nigeria.”
Applicants are expected to prioritise activities in the Middle Belt and identify at least four states where projects would be implemented.
The funding opportunity is open to both U.S.-based and international non-profit organisations, public international bodies, higher education institutions and private-sector entities, although the department indicated a preference for partnering with non-profit organisations.
Interested applicants have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 9, 2026, to submit their proposals.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in November 2025 over allegations of religious persecution targeting Christians.
The Nigerian government, however, rejected the designation, insisting that insecurity affects citizens across all religious groups and reaffirming its commitment to working with the United States on counterterrorism efforts and broader security sector reforms.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0